Fake Pub Studies Drinking Habits 118
sciencehabit writes "In a pub on the campus of London South Bank University, you may think you're drinking an ice cold brew, but don't be too sure. A fake pub with barstools, beer pumps, and all the trappings of a real one was built on the university for psychologists to better understand how and why we drink. Hidden cameras and a cheerful staff — who are undercover psychology students — help analyze behavior when customers, or test subjects, pay a visit."
So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit (Score:5, Insightful)
Basically, a pub.
Re:So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, psychologists will frown upon any research where the subjects do not know they are part of a research project.
Note, the subjects do not need to know (and shouldn't know) the actual research being done, just that they're part of a research project. Usually they're told that the researchers are testing one thing, while it's something entirely different that's really being tested.
Re:So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit (Score:5, Insightful)
The Placebo Pub (Score:4, Insightful)
It is a very good thing they are not charging for the drinks, I can't imagine the horror show resulting when the pub patrons find out they are buying watered down drinks.
Even after I RTFA, I still am not sure how they are concealing the info that there is little to no alcohol in the free drinks. I know if I was presented a free pub, I would wonder what the catch was, thus altering my behavior and skewing the data.
Maybe just my own suspicious and skeptical nature is the cause for my questioning this. :-)
Or I missed that part of TFA.
Re:So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit (Score:5, Insightful)